Quite often, roadway and highway accidents involve large trucks. These mishaps typically result in significant damages, serious injuries to those involved and in certain instances, fatalities. If you or someone you love was hurt in a collision with a truck, you may be in need of a personal injury attorney. An attorney with experience in truck accident claims may be able to recover your accident damages. Many victims who were seriously hurt because of a negligent truck driver either had their claim denied or were offered little to no compensation for their accident costs. Without legal representation, this scenario is all too common.
What Are the Statistics?
According to the United States Department of Transportation, roughly a half million automobile mishaps involve large trucks. More than 10 percent of all fatal highway accidents occur when a truck and a passenger car collide.
Why Are Truck Accidents So Frequent?
Trucks are involved in accidents with passenger vehicles for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, it can be the direct result of the truck’s condition or a mistake made by the vehicle’s driver. Such common causes include:
- The truck’s condition was not maintained which resulted in equipment failure.
- The driver received inadequate training and made a serious mistake.
- The driver was speeding.
- The truck’s cargo was overloaded or misloaded.
- The driver practiced dangerous operational techniques, such as tailing a car or failing to exercise caution when merging or executing a turn.
- The driver was distracted because he was engaged in a hazardous activity such as texting on his phone that took his eyes off the road.
- The driver experienced fatigue after working a long shift.
Automobile motorists can also be to blame for causing a mishap with a commercial truck. Accidents might occur when a car’s driver does any of the following:
- Fails to merge properly or changes lanes too abruptly which does not afford the truck’s operator enough time to take evasive action.
- Tries to pass a truck under more challenging driving conditions such as on a hill, curvy roadway, or a two-lane highway.
- Enters the turning path of a truck, not giving the driver enough space to execute a wide turn.
- Drives in the truck operator’s blind spot.
Other factors that may precipitate an accident between a truck and a car are:
- Road construction.
- Inclement weather.
How Can Truck Related Accidents Be Avoided?
A motor vehicle driver’s best course of action is to be extra vigilant when operating his or her car on a roadway frequented by trucks. Passenger car operators should always yield to trucks when appropriate, avoid reckless driving practices and, if possible, refrain from driving under adverse weather conditions. Truck drivers should use safe driving practices, avoid engaging in distracting activities, maintain their vehicles, and make sure they stay in good working order.
What Steps Should Be Taken After the Involvement in a Truck Accident?
An injured truck accident victim should contact a professional such as the Virginia Truck Accident Lawyer with experience in truck accident claims as soon as possible. Look for one who has experience handling this type of case due to their unique nature and the complexity of motor vehicle laws. It’s important to get that process started as soon as possible as the medical bills will add up quickly.
Thanks to authors at Martin Wren P.C. for their insight into Personal Injury Law.
